atlantis child
by princessangelwings
Summary: Atlantis talks to Sheppard, she comforts him and he teaches her about friendship. COMPLETE


He heard her soft music whispering into his ear, the whisper of a lover. The music grew louder as she tried to wake him up from his slumber

"_Okay, okay, I'm awake"_

The music intensified, intruding upon his dreams, begging him to wake and perform some task for her. He knew her song by heart; she often sung it to soothe him or to calm herself.

It had been like that from the moment he had stepped through the gate, as the city came to life around them, a low hum in his mind had enthralled him. Of course there was little time to ponder on this as crisis after crisis distracted him, but he felt the presence all the while he was in the city. He heard her worry for him even in the jumper while he battle a dozen Wraith Darts in a valiant attempt to get back to Atlantis. It was later that evening, after he had shot Colonel Sumner that she had shown herself.

He was slightly drunk after the toasts with Elizabeth and many more after that, toasting friendship and new beginnings. He dropped onto his bed and was overwhelmed at the events of the day. He had shot his CO, woken up the wraith, and been plonked in charge of military ops at Atlantis, All in all not really John Sheppard's best day ever. He had never really been an emotional man, but since his day had basically sucked beyond the telling of it, he allowed himself a short heart wrenching sob. He sat on his new, strange bed pulled his boots off, and cried. His eyes filled, tears making salty tracks down his cheeks and his lip quivered as he tried to hold it inside. He ran a shaky hand through his messy hair, and lay back on the bed. His face hidden in the soft pillow, shoulders wracked with emotion, she came to him.

Tentatively at first, she filled his head with soothing music, enveloping him in her love. Distraught as he was he felt loved and he opened up to her, allowing her to comfort him to share in his misery and pain. She lulled him into a peaceful, dreamless sleep. When he awoke the next morning she was still there, assuring him that he was safe and loved.

And so the relationship began, she told him in his dreams and with her songs of her loneliness, and sorrow at the sacrifices her people had made so many years ago. He told her of his guilt and pain and together they found solace.

A few days after that first encounter something changed, a new feeling erupted in his heart and he swayed right there in the control room. No one saw, thank god but he felt it, Atlantis was happy, ecstatic in fact. He couldn't understand what had happened but she was too excited to tell him. So he had carried on working, ordering Ford around and drinking coffee.

That was until McKay came along. "Major!" his face lit up like a Christmas tree, "I need your help with something, now I found this in a research lab and Carson just gave me the gene therapy…" McKay continued to ramble for some time and John allowed his own thoughts to wonder.

_So, that's why she's so happy, McKay __has the gene, he can be hers now_ He thought, surprising himself that he was jealous that a city wanted McKay not him. He was glad that she was happy, but it concerned him how quickly he had begun to rely upon her for support. He would miss it, but if she was happy with McKay then he could accept that.

Her melodious tones filled his head and she spoke to him soft and comforting. _Oh right, she doesn't want him like she wants me, he's her child. How weird is that? _

And so it had started, if Sheppard was her lover then McKay was their Love Child. Theirs because McKay was Sheppard's friend and he cared for the strange little man, no matter how irritating he could be. John had shown her that friendship and she craved it for herself. She had allowed Beckett's treatment to work so that she could be closer to McKay. John was her lover, McKay a product of their love; she would protect McKay as would John, like parents would a child.

She spent the rest of that day worrying for her beloved and their child as they tried to find a way to free the ascended being the ancient had so cruelly captured and forgotten. When McKay stepped into the darkness wearing nothing but the ancient shield she panicked, and screamed in John's head to help him. Sheppard had never felt more useless, as he was unable to do more than watch Rodney's sacrifice. When Rodney's still form appeared as the darkness dispersed John ran to him. His heart pounding in his chest, Atlantis's music crescendoing to a desperate peak in his mind. Though McKay did not realise it, Atlantis had sung for him.

XXX

The music grew louder as she tried to wake him up from his slumber, when the music intensified he realised that she needed him.

"Okay, okay, I'm awake"He pushed himself up out of bed, yawning, John pulled his trousers on,

"Shush, its ok, I'm here." He tried to soothe her as he pulled his boots on carelessly tying the laces.

She had been upset with him recently, not wanting to comfort him in the same way as before. He knew why. She was angry with him and McKay, she loved them both and it hurt her to see them hurt each other with their pride and mistrust.

He had tried, he really had, but after McKay blew up half a solar system things just were not the same. He couldn't trust the pesky scientist whole heartedly anymore. Atlantis knew the real reason; McKay had made a mistake and if McKay can make mistakes then Sheppard's comfy little world where McKay fixes everything is in trouble, and John just could not handle that right now. Truth be told Sheppard blamed himself more than he blamed Rodney, he knew McKay well, better than anyone else he had ever known. He should have stopped Rodney, but he didn't against his own better judgement and now Rodney had to pay for John's mistakes, as well as his own.

John hadn't really spoken to Rodney since, but he knew the distance between them was hurting McKay, she told him so. Sheppard would have known that even if his girl hadn't told him though. He always knew when McKay was hurting. John could read him like an old book, one of those that you read when you don't want to concentrate on something new, but just let the words wash over you. He had gone to McKay after they'd lost Gaul and Abrams on that wretched planet. She had been there too but Rodney had never known of her love and support for him. She had been as angry with Sheppard, as McKay had been when he'd left on that suicide mission to blow a wraith hiveship. "So long Rodney" was all he could afford to offer them. Neither one of them would ever understand his responsibilities; he did not expect them too. Nor did he expect her to understand that he was more angry with himself than his friend over the whole 'blowing up a solar system' thing.

He allowed her to guide him, her concern for her child mounting.

_What the hell is Rodney doing to get her so worked up?_ His thoughts betraying him and angering her more. She led him further down into the depths of her city.

He'd explored most of Atlantis late at night when he couldn't sleep; she would take him to places of beauty, gardens long since dead, walls filled with colours to relax him or balconies with majestic views of the sea. She always took him somewhere new. She'd show him images of her city in all its glory, filled with families happily living out their lives before the wraith came to darken their idyllic lifestyles. Let him experience the ancients through her eyes always observing but never a part of their lives. He saw her for the lonely and great being that she was; something her own people had never done.

Tonight was no exception to the weird and wonderful adventures she took him on. Leading him down corridors and into rooms not used for ten thousand years, she guided him with her songs and images of a shrouded woman running in front of him, her pale blue gown and long black shiny hair flowing in an imaginary wind.

Up ahead was a balcony where a man stood with shoulders hunched, his back quivering as tears racked his body. The shrouded woman disappeared and she whispered in his ear, "_Go to him". _

John did as she said and walked, as silently as his boots would allow towards his suffering friend. He felt Rodney jump a little as he put his hand on his back and as Rodney turned around he saw his friend's pain so clearly in those pale blue orbs, it hurt him to think of the pain and misery he had let Rodney go through alone. _No wonder she was distressed,_ he though.

He saw Rodney nod his head in shame at being caught crying and something inside John snapped. He reached forward and held his friend tight. At first Rodney was reluctant but soon hugged back needing the warmth of his best friend. They stood on the balcony and held each other, no words were needed, and John took his scientists hand and led him back to his room. Atlantis cooed in his ear, if she'd had a face it would be smiling. Her boys together again, her lover and her child.


End file.
